Rivermen Headlines

JEAN-GUY TRUDEL NAMED HEAD COACH

Published:May 25th 2013 @ 9:40 AM

May

25

2013

The
Peoria Rivermen are pleased to announce that Jean-Guy Trudel has been named head coach for the team’s inaugural
season in the Southern Professional Hockey League. He becomes the 19th
head coach in Rivermen franchise history and the third former player to return
as a head coach. Kevin Tucker, also
a former Rivermen player, has been named his assistant.

Trudel,
37, has spent the last three seasons as the head coach of the amateur Peoria
Mustangs (North American 3 Hockey League).
During his tenure, the Mustangs qualified for the playoffs in each
season and compiled a record of 77-52-12. He won 11 additional playoff games
and led the Mustangs to the NA3HL Silver Cup Championship this past March.

“With
the success that Jean-Guy has had as both a player and a coach, as well as his
familiarity with the Rivermen tradition, we feel he is the perfect choice to be
our new head coach,” said Peoria Rivermen Owner Bart Rogers. “He has done a tremendous job with the Mustangs and we
are confident that he can bring that success to the Rivermen.”

Inducted
into the Peoria Rivermen Hockey Hall of Fame in 2011, Trudel played 177 games
for Peoria over parts of three seasons. Overall, he finished with 234 points
(87g, 147a) and had another 19 points in 12 ECHL playoff games between 1996 and
1998.

“The
opportunity they are giving me, it is humbling, and honor, and it's a challenge
I am ready for,” said Trudel. “The ownership group had its eyes on me right
from the beginning, and that's why this happened so fast. I appreciate that
they wanted me and believed I was the right guy.”

While
Trudel’s coaching experience is limited to amateur hockey he has the
opportunity to learn under an impressive list of professional coaches. While in
the minors, he was coached by Paul MacLean and Mark Reeds, now head coach and
assistant coach, respectively with the Ottawa Senators. He also played for
Houston's AHL Calder Cup champions in 2002-03 under Todd McLellan, now head
coach at NHL San Jose. And he played for Dave Farrish, John Torchetti, and Ron
Wilson, all with current or past NHL coaching resumes. While Trudel played with
AHL Peoria, Davis Payne (now with Los Angeles Kings) and Brent Thompson (now
with New York Islanders) were assistant coaches.

Trudel
broke into professional hockey at 21 years old with the ECHL Rivermen. Amidst frequent call-ups to the International
Hockey League, Trudel still managed to put up 54 points (25g, 29a) in only 37
games. He returned the next season and
racked up 113 points (39g, 74a) in only 62 games. He finished just six points back of Jamey
Hicks (Birmingham) for the ECHL scoring title and appeared in eight fewer
games. A starter for Team Canada at the 1998 ECHL All-Star Game, Trudel also
ranked second on the team with 147 penalty minutes that season.

He
graduated to the IHL/AHL ranks the next season and his success continued. He
went on to become an AHL all-star four times in the next five seasons with
Springfield from 1999-2002 and Houston in 2002-03. He also appeared in five NHL
games with Phoenix and Minnesota. After four seasons in Switzerland playing for
Ambri-Piotta, Trudel returned for one season with the AHL Rivermen in
2007-08. He led the team in assists (44)
and points (67) in 78 games that year.
He returned to Switzerland for the next two years and retired after the
2009-10 season.

Jason
Christie, who coached five ECHL seasons with the Rivermen, and Mark Reeds, who
was an assistant coach for four seasons before serving as a head coach for
three, are the only other former Rivermen players to return as a head coach.

Tucker,
36, had been serving under Trudel as an assistant coach with Mustangs. He
played parts of three seasons for the ECHL Rivermen (2000-03)

Season tickets are now on sale for the 2013-14 SPHL season. Call
309-676-1040 to secure your seats or for more information.